Fender for cars.



No. 781,740. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905. J. T. RICE.

FENDER FOR CARS.

AYPLIOATION FILED DEO.26, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 781,740, Patented February '7, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

JESSE T. RICE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSlGl OR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTOMATIC CAR FENDER AND RAILIVAY SUPPLY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA TERRYORY.

FENDER FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 781,740, dated February 7, 1905.

Application filed December 26,1903. Serial No. 186,640.

I'LL y Ron/187'"! the dog-and-ratchet mechanism for retaining Be it known that I, JEssn 1. RICE, a citizen the flexible cushioning part in position after 5 oftheUnitedStates,residingatGrandRapids, the same has been driven backwardly and in the county of Kentand State of hlichigan, downwardly by a concussion of any sort. have invented new and useful [1111)1.)V8I116Dl15 Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the rocking platin Fenders for Cars, of which the following is form and its support.

a specification. Similar letters refer to similar parts This invention relates to a new and useful throughout the several views. fender for cars, more particularly adapted to A designates the front platform of a car 1o street-cars; and the invention consists in the constructed in any suitable manner.

construction, combination, and arrangement B represents the framework of the supportof parts hereinafter described and claimed. ing-body of the fender, by means of which the The objects of the invention are, first, to body of the fender is supported and pivotally furnish a fender for a car wluch will not inconnected to the cars, as hereinafter described.

[5 jure a person coming in contact therewith; C shows the journal-lmaring of the framesecond, to combine with a suitable frame a fork B. tender of a flexible or CLISIIIODIH material car- I) D 1. show the bent iortions ol' the arms 5 ried thereby which will yield to a person or L L L, which bent portions engage with the object falling against it; third, to combine front of the rod B, the rod B forming the bear- 20 with a yielding surface suitable means for ing on which the said arms L L rock or turn.

producing such yielding motion and also for Eis a plate secured to the arms LLL and topreventing reaction; fourth, to combine with gether with the arms L and the bar M forms 7 a fender a rocking or tipping part which will a rocking platform rocking or turning upon prevent a person from rolling off the fender the rod B. 5 after falling thereon; lifth, other objectspar- F is a front roller carried by the rocking ticularly pointed out in the specification and platform and which may be constructed so as claims. These objects I accomplish by means to rest upon the car-rails, as shown in Figs. 1

of the mechanism illustrated in the accomand 2. panying drawings, in which- (i shows the journals of the roller F. 0 Figure I shows a side elevationof the front ll is a flexible connection for raising and end ofacar with my improved fender attached lowering the fender. said flexible connection in position for use. Fig. 2 shows a front being used in connection with the drum and 30 view of a fender constructed in accordance crank H. with my invention when attached to a car. it shows the flexible connection H wound 35 Fig. 3 shows a front view of the rocking plataround the drum, and J J show a bracket supform or plate with the flexible surface deporting the said drum. tached, this rocking platform being placed in a shows the ratchet for retaining the drum 8 5 part beneath the flexible surface, as shown in in position. Any suitableratchetmaybe used, Fig. 1. Fig. A is a front view of the body and further description will be unnecessary.

4 part of the fender with the flexible cushioning Any other suitable means may be used for part removed. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the raising and lOWCIIH the fender. tension-roller which acts to retain in position Iis what I call the yieldingsupport, which and give the cushioning effect to the flexible yielding support may be constructed of netsurface which would receive a person falling work or any flexible material which will yield 45 upon the fender. Fig. 6 is a side elevation to a person falling against the same, which of the front platform of a car and my imyielding is provided in the example of my inproved fender folded up against the platform. vention, shown by means of a roller, which Fig. T is an end view of the tension-roller and winds up and keeps taut this flexible part 1 and which prevents the same from reacting when driven backward, as above described. The flexible support I is adapted to wind around the roller It, the roller B being held in tension by means of a spring, and the roller R is preferably provided with a covering J, so as to protect the flexible material from the weather when it is wound up.

K is a dog engaging with the ratchet U, which dog may be loosened by means of the lever K.

The bar M, supported on the arms L, forms the rear portion of the tipping platform, and in case a person falls upon the fender the flexible or cushioning surface I will yield, and the person coming in contact with the bar M will tip the same downward, raising the front end of the platform, so as to prevent the per son from being thrown ofl in front of the fender. The arms L may be forked, so as to engage with the plate E E at the points 0 O, as shown.

The fender-body may be constructed in any suitable manner; but in the drawings I have shown a metallic basket-work, the strips running in one direction being shown by P P, &c., and those in the transverse by P P, &c. These strips P P, &c., engage or may engage with the rod B, as shown in Fig. 4.

b b show the engagement between the framerod B and the transverse rod B.

The car-rails are shown by Q.

The roller R is operated by means of the tension-spring T, which is secured to the transverse rod S. Said rod S is square in cross-section at the point S to prevent the same from revolving. This rod S is secured to the'car by means of the brackets J, J showing the bearing for the roller R.

V is an opening in the covering J, which allows the flexible netting or surface I to be rolled upon the rod R within said casing.

The operation of my invention is as follows: A person or object falling against the yielding surface I will depress the same in the direction of the main body of the fender, said de pression being against the operation of the tension-spring T, and if the body is heavy enough the said yielding portion I will continue to yield until it reaches the main body of the fender. The dog K, engaging with the ratchet U, will prevent the spring T from reacting or tending to raise the yielding surface Ito normal position, thereby preventing any tendency to throw a person from the fender. If the rocking platform, as hereinafter described, is used, it will be tipped, the bar M being depressed and the front roller F being raised, so as to have a further tendency to pre vent a person from being rolled off in front of the fender. As soon asthe person is removed from the fender the dog K may be removed from the ratchetU by means of the lever K, and the flexible yielding surface I will immediately assume the position shown in Fig.1.

\Vhen the fender is not in use, the whole may be raised into the position shown in Fig. 6 by means of the parts H and H or by any other suitable means.

I have described my preferred form of constructing a fender; but it will be understood that various changes may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I believe that the use of the flexible or cushioning surface which yields and does not react is entirely new, and I know of no construction using the yielding surface in connection with an unyielding fender.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to have invented, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In combination with the fender-body secured to the front of a car, a yieldable surface extending above the fender-body, mechanism connected to the yieldable surface to tension the same and means for retaining the mechanism in position after the yieldable surface has been depressed.

2. In combination with the fender-body secured to the front of a car, a yieldable surface extending above the fender-body, mechanism connected to the yieldable surface to tension the same, means for retaining the mechanism in position after the yieldable surface has been depressed, and means for raising and lowering the body and yieldable surface.

3. In combination with the fender-body secured to the front of the car a yielding surface extending above the said fender-body and a sufficient distance therefrom, aroller to which said flexible surface is connected, a spring for operating the said roller and giving tension to said flexible surface, and suitable means for retaining the roller in position after the said flexible body has been depressed, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the body of a fender a flexible surface placed above and in front thereof, a roller to Which the said flexible surface is connected, a spring adapted to keep the said flexible surface in tension, a ratchet and dog for controlling the said roller and preventing reaction after the same has been tightened by a body falling against said flexible surface.

5. In combination with a fender-body pivotally connected to the front of a car, suitable means for raising and lowering the said fender-body and a flexible surface in front of the said fender proper, suitable means for retaining said flexible portion in tension and to allow the same to yield against pressure, and suitable means for preventing the reaction of the said flexible surface.

6. In a car-fender body, the combination of a yieldable surface connected at one end thereof and the other end connected to a tension device above the body, and means for preventing reaction thereof when pressure is applied to the yieldable surface.

7. in a car-fender body, the combination of a yieldable surface connected at one end thereof and the other end connected to a roller, a tension device for the roller, and means for controlling the reaction of the tension device.

8. ln a car-fender body, the combination of a vield able surface connected at one end thereof and the other end connected to a roller, a tension device for the roller, means for controlling the reaction of the tension device, and a tipping plate connected to the front of the body and actuated by the yieldable surface.

9. in a car-fender body, the combination of a yieldable surface connected at one end thereof and the other end connected to a roller, a tension device for the roller, means for controlling the reaction of the tension device, a tipping plate connected to the front of the body and actuated by the yieldable su r face,and means for raising and lowering the body and yieldable surface.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing \vitnesses.

JESSE T. RICE. Vitnesses:

EDWARD TAGGAR'I, MARY S. TOOKER. 

